Rail-brace.



G. P. TENNANT.

BML BRM/IE. APPLICATIDN FILED DEC. 11. 1916.

` Patented Apr.17,1917.

SHEET l.

2 SHEETS ffmz Inventor,

r I O Attorneys,

^ RML BRACE.

APPLICIATIQN FILED DEC. 1l. 1916- 1,223,300. Patented Apr. 17, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET-2.

Witnesses Inventor,

e m n l' by Attorneys,

GEoEGE r. TENNANT, or rnosriunG, MARYLAND. n

' EAIvL-BEACE. y

c lj`Specicat'iion of LetterskPiatent.

Patented Apr. 1r, 1917'.

-Appiieation filed December 1i, i916. serial No. 136,262.

T0 all whom t may concern Beit known that I, GEORGE P. TENNANT, a citizen of the United States, residing at F rostburg, in the county of Allegany and State of Maryland, have invented a new and useful Rail-Brace, ofwhich the following is a specification. f f

The present inventionappertains to rail braces and chairs, and aims `to provide a novel and 'improved device for supporting andbracing the rail of a railroadorstreet car track, to prevent the spreading or displacement of the rails, the device being simple and inexpensive `in construction, `and thoroughly practical and efficient inl use to enhance the safety of the track.

lVith the' foregoing' and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention residesin the coinbination and arrangement of'parts and in the details of construction hereinafter de'-` scribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in theprecise embodiment o f the invention herein disclosed can be made within the lscope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The inventio-n'is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figurel 1 is a sideV elevationof the device.l

Fig. 2 is a planview thereof. Figs. 3 and 4 are cross sectional views y taken on the respective lines 3 3 and of Fig. 2.

The present brace can be used at suitable intervals along the track, and also at the joints of the rails. In thedrawings, there is illustrated a cross tiel over which the rails 2 extend, a metallic tie plate 3 being seated upon the tie and supporting the base flange of the rail. The tie plate 3 is provided with a shoulder 4 seating against thte outer edge of the base ange, and said tie plate has spike openings 5 adjacent to its outer end through which spikes 6 are driven into the tie with their heads overlapping the base flange of the rail. fThe tie plate has aV spike opening 7 adjacent to its inner end through which a spike 8 is driven into the tie with its head overlapping the inner edge Vportion of the base flange, thereby 'holding the rail upon the tie as usual.

The kinvention includes :a rail brace 9 in the form of a block or casting, said brace being preferably formed of cast or wrought iron, although any suitable material can be used, and the inner portion of the brace is formed to snugly fit the outer side ofthe rail, or the outer portion of the base flange, web and head of the rail, as seen in Figs. 3 and 4.A The base or block 9 is of suiliciently large cross section to effectively brace the `rail against outward spreading move- 1nent,and thebrace 9 has a lower outstanding iange 10 seatable upon the tie 1 and adapted to be clamped upon the tie by means ofA spikes 11 driven into the tie and having their heads overlappingsaid {iange 10. The vbrace yory block 9 is provided intermediate its ends with a lower inwardly opening cavity or recess 12 snugly receiving the outer end portion of the tie plate 8, andalso accommodating they heads of thespikes 6, as seen in Fig. 4.` VThe brace 9 in tting over the tie plate 3 assistsinholding the brace against longitudinal displacement.

When the brace 9 is used at the joint of the rails, it is provided with openings 13 through kwhich the clamping bolts can eX- krtend, there being` an ordinary fish plate at the inner side of the rails, which need not be illustrated or described in detail.

The brace or block 9 is clamped securely against the rail by means of a pair of transverse clamping bars 14 lextending under-y neath the rail atthe opposite sidesof the tie '1 and spaced from the tie plate, said barsv 14 having upper hooks 15 and 16 at their inner and outer ends, respectively, projecting toward one another. The hooks 15 `areadapted to overlap the inner edge portion of the rail with a wedge iit of the base iiange between the bars 14 and hooks 15, and the hooks 16 overlap the iange 10 of the brace 9 with said iiange 10 having a 'wedge fit between the bars 14 and hooks 16.

The ends of the brace 9 and its flange 10 are provided withlower cut away portions 17 lfor receiving lthe bars 14 when they are driven into place longitudinally of the rail. .i The clamping bars 14 and brace 9 are secured together, to prevent their relative displacement, and lfor this purpose, the hooks `16 have apertures 18 above and alining with apertures 19 with which the bars 14 are provided, and the flange 10 has apertures 20 between and alining with the apertures 18 and 19. Cotter pins 21 or other suitable retaining eleinents are inserted downwardly through the apertures 18, 2O and 19, and their lower split ends 22 are bent to hold the same in place.

As additional means for securing the bars vioo 14 to the rail 2, although this feature of the invention is not compulsory, the hooks 15 have apertures 23 above and alining with apertures 24 in the bars 14, and the base flange of the rail can be provided with apertures 25 between and alining with the apertures 23 and 24, and cotter pins 26 and other retaining elements are insertible downwardly through said apertures.

The bars 14 are preferably made of Wrought iron or equivalent material to withstand the strains without breaking, while the brace or block 9 can be of cast iron, because it receives only compression strains.

The brace 9 and bars 14 can be cheaply manufactured and easily applied, but will nevertheless perform their functions in a thoroughly practical manner.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a device of the character described, a brace to lit one side of a rail having a lower outstanding flange, and transverse clamping bars to extend under the rail and brace and having upper hooks at their ends to overlap said flange and the opposite portion of the base flange of the rail.

2. In a device of the character described, a brace to fit one side of a rail having a lower outstanding flange, transverse clamping bars to extend under the rail and brace and having upper hooks at their ends to overlap said flange and the opposite portion of the base flange of the rail, and retaining elements engageable through said bars, first mentioned flange and the corresponding hooks.

3. In a device of the character described, a brace to fit one side of a rail having a lower outstandingV flange, and transverse clamping bars to extend under the rail and brace and having upper hooks at their ends to overlap said flange and the opposite por-4 tion of the base flange of the rail, said brace being provided intermediate its ends with a lower inwardly opening` cavity for accommodating a tie plate and spikes.

4. In a device 0f the character described, a brace to fit one side of a rail and having a lower outstanding flange, and transverse clamping bars to extend unde-r the rail and brace and having upper hooksat their ends to overlap said iiange and the opposite portion of' the base fiange of the rail, said brace being provided intermediate its ends with a lower inwardly opening cavity for accommodating a tie plate and spikes, the ends of said base and its flange having lower cut away portions for receiving said bars when moved longitudinally relative to the brace.

5. In a device of the character described, a brace to fit one side of a rail and having a lower outstanding flange, transverse clamping bars to extend under'the rail and brace and having upper hooks at their ends to overlap said flange and the opposite portion of the base flange of the rail, said brace being provided intermediate its ends with a lower inwardly opening cavity for accommodating a tie plate and spikes, the ends of said base and its flange having lower cut away portions for receiving said bars when moved longitudinally relative to the brace, said bars, first mentioned flange and corresponding hooks having apertures adapted to register, and retaining elements insertible in said apertures.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afhxed my signature in the presence of witnesses.

GEORGE P. TENNANT.

vWitnesses:

HENRY SHAFFER, HENRY J. POWELL, JOHN E. PRICE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for live cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

I Washington, D. C. 

